The Reason I'm Alone.
The Crimson Moon pack had always sought to be the strongest pack within the land. The Alpha long ago, created a wicked and terrible system to not only strengthen the pack, but to rid them of the weakest bloodlines. They only wanted the strongest, the fastest, and the smartest bloodlines. It began many moons before I was born, before my parents were born, the ritualistic hunt they called "The Strengthening". The strongest families put their newly shifted wolves into The Strengthening. Their first hunt would be against the weakest in the pack.
I was only five when my father was chosen to be one of the 10 chosen to be the target. My mother was only being spared due to the current Luna's orders. The Luna of our pack was the definition of submissive. She rarely said much, and gave orders even less. The only orders she had given since she became Luna, was mothers of small children were not to be included in the ritual, and that children that had not shifted also be excluded.
I always wondered how fierce of a wolf she would have been if she was never forced to become Luna. The current Alpha had never found his true mate, and married the strongest families, besides his, oldest daughter. Renee had only been 17 at the time. She lived her whole wolf life with Alpha Roman, never getting the chance to find her mate. I almost felt sorry for her, except she lived with the privilege and status of her title.
I lived alone with my mother for the last 9 years, with the most bare of necessities. We were the omegas of the pack. Two years ago, my mother was chosen. She fought and pleaded to the Luna, anyone but her. I was only 14, and who would take care of me. It fell on deaf ears. She spent the week up until that night preparing me.
"No matter what my daughter. Run, run and never look back. Become rogue if you have too. Once you get your wolf, let her guide you away. Don't stay here. Run." I listened to her screams all that night. Listened to the strongest howl with victorious bloodlust. That was my first night alone.